Customer Reviews

Doctor Who - Planet of the Spiders [VHS]

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

FOR a show like Dr. Who where several actors have played the lead role, There is always debate over who was the best. The general consensus with Doctor Who fandom is that Tom Baker was the best of the classic series Doctors while David Tennet is the best, so far, of the current series. That being said I respectfully submit that Jon Pertwee, the third actor to play the enigmatic time traveler, is ever bit the equal of Baker and Tennet and was, as they were, "Born to play the role".

Pertwee took on the role of Doctor who at the dawning of the 1970's (His first episode aired late December 1969) and looking back now he bore the weight of the entire series' future on his shoulders. There was great debate at the BBC over weather or not to continue on with the program given the expense of converting and filming the show in color. Add to that a looming strike at the BBC, and fickle fan base facing a new decade with new interest and a series cut way down in length do to budget constraints (the final Patrick Troughton series had seven stories comprising 43 episodes while pertwee's first series had just four stories comprising 25 episodes) and you had a recipe for a show lost in a wave of insurmountable odds and a show cut short before it`s time. Dr Who could have easily been relegated to a quirky little black and white show that ran for a few years back in the 1960's...releases decades latter on DVD in a "Shmultzee" little compellation box set with a toy Dalek. Or worse yet it could have been wipe away all together if the show had not survived past it's first decade.

Enter the great Jon Pertwee with his tall, imposing frame, Flaming white hair , James Bond persona and some Venusian Uja to boot. Pertwee took on the role with Gusto and made it his own and in some ways change the depth and propensity of Doctor who itself/himself. Not the old sage or the clown was Pertwee's portrayal of the Doctor but the hero; Or dare I say the super hero. So confidant was his portray of Doctor Who at times the viewer may have wondered if there was a big "S" under under his cloak and frill shirt and a red cape in the trunk of old Bessie.

Pertwee didn't just save the Earth from galactic evil-doers he saved the show it self from being a one-decade wonder and propelled the show to new heights and ultimately to the Iconic status the show now enjoys. So much of the shows dogma was either re-created or enhanced during the Pertwee era ( a pause here to also give a huge nod to the great Barry Letts who had a something to do with it as well). From the start we were given the Autons who became permanently ingrained in our sub-conscious with their frightening embodiment of lifeless object. They only appeared twice during the Pertwee era but their legacy will remain with the show to the end (The fact the the new series started with an Auton story proves this). Next of course the Pertwee era gave us The Master played with villainous vigor by the late, great Roger Delgado. Only The Daleks are more synonymous with Doctor Who than The Master and for many fans he is the Doctor's ultimate foe. The sub-terrain terrors the Silurian's and the Sea Devils were both created during the Pertwee tenure. Appearing during the Davison and Matt Smith eras, these two creatures still work as villains even today. The war-like Sontarians also first came to fruition while Pertwee was at the helm as did two of the best companions the show has ever seen in Jo Grant and Sara Jane Smith. The later of course still relevant and immensely popular today returning several time to the program plus staring in her own show the Sara Jane adventures. Last is the (then) emerging lore of the time lords themselves. The term Galifrey was coined during Jon Pertwee's The Time Warrior and the concept of the Doctor meeting his past incarnations came to be during Pertwee's fourth season opener The Three Doctors.

Alas, What does all this have to do with Planet of the Spider? In a word: Everything. Pertwee's finale brings together (for one last time) most of the elements of what made his ere so great: UNIT, a mostly Earth bound story, gadgets, a cheesy villain, a fellow time lord and one of the best chase scenes the show ever had. Is this episode a Five star classic like Caves of Andrazani or Pyramids of Mars? No. But from the opening scene's "gong" we immediately sense the approaching doom pulling the doctor to his ultimate fate. The story has a pace less suited to hasten the story and more to pay homage to it's star. The acting and character development for guests and regulars are solid in the story but the Star is Pertwee and he is given plenty of plot devices to make one final curtain call. Don't expect a classic monster here as the Spiders, and the giant spider herself, are some of the Cheesiest creatures the show has ever seen. If I can say one positive thing about them at least they weren't made of tin foil. While they do little to add to the story they certainly don't detract from it.

Long time fans , Pertwee fans and Completion-ists will of course buy this episode but to the newer, younger fans who maybe haven't seen it before I would say buy it. Planet of the Spiders is an essential part of the show's history. It is the last chance to see how Jon Pertwee took a show that was destined for greatness and then solidified it's greatness.... before passing it on to a worthy and equal successor....

Jon Pertwee gets a pretty good sendoff in the Planet of Spiders, Likely not as good as he deserved but still worth your time.

We see the Doctor FINALLY reach the blue planet that he has been talking about for two seasons. Yet it is a planet with problems, specifically it is being ruled by spiders who are enslaving the humans.

The plot turns involving the meditation center, the other timelord and Mike Yates are interesting, as is the final regeneration scene, I did take exception to one bit of the plot.

It seem strange that the Doctor knowing that the Queen Spider is about to doom herself, while trying to become the most powerful creature in the world would put himself into such danger to try to talk her out of it. If he succeeds she will continue to be a menace. This seems to forshadow Tom Baker more than the quite practical Jon Pertwee. The psycological factor is played well, but I still don't buy it.

Pertwee was a long running doctor, he would give way to the longest running (and in my opinion the best) doctor, and sometimes that gives him short shift in comparison. This is unfair. Pertwee was a class act, a class actor, and a class doctor.

Planet of the Spiders is a bit uneven, with some wobbly effects and a somewhat meandering storyline, but it's also full of brilliant elements - Tommy, the redemption of Mike Yates, and the always-great Sarah Jane. It's a wonderful tribute to the Jon Pertwee era, complete with a chase involving pretty much every type of vehicle imaginable - cars, a helicopter, a fishing boat, a hovercraft, and the Doctor's flying car. Pertwee is excellent in his final story, giving it all the energy, humor, and conviction he always brought to the role.

Best of all, the Third Doctor's death and regeneration are beautifully handled; Pertwee's final moments may be the most moving of any of the Doctors.

The DVD is typically superb, with a good commentary, the shorter, snappier Omnibus version, and a million documentaries.

It's a must see for Whovians, and especially for any fans of Pertwee.

i have given this Jon Pertwee story five stars because in many ways it was one of the best stories that he, himself portrayed and must count as one of the best Doctor Who's ever.

I have to admit to not being a Pertwee fan. My preference has always been for Pat Troughton or Tom Baker. However, one thing cannot be taken away from Pertwee - he certainly brought the series up to date, keeping and expanding it's audience at the same time.

The story is a culmoination of a series of shows which seemed to have begun in the penultimate season of Pertwee's third Doctor. It brings together a number of strands which had been threaded together over the Pertwee years and which were to grace this six part adventure.

Clearly the most conspicuous of these strands was the return of the blue crysatl from Jo in the Amazon. However, there was the Tibetan connection which began in the early UNIT days when Troughton was the Doctor in the early Yeti story. The Tibetan link was also strengthened by the growing drip feed of Gallifrey lore which had begun with the demise of the second Doctor and had continued throughout the Pertwee years. On a production note, the increased location work and the use of vehicles climaxed in the extended chase scene which occupied a lengthy segment of this last Pertwee story.

The story itself gave a little insight into the Doctor's travels which later manifested itself in a Tom Baker story which may be subtitled as what happens when I come back to a planet later on in time.

Overall the Planet of the Spiders was a recognition of the new audience that was following the show. The dandyish overtly heroic Doctor and the more glamorous companions together with the latest toys drew many more young adults to the show. This new audience brought with it a new level of sophistication which was reflected in the show's concerns. Less obvious lecturing and more obvious entertaining seemed to be the order of the day.

Most of all Planet of the Spiders reflected the need for Pertwee to end his Doctor Who days with the regognition of his accomplishments. The story line is charged with some of the issues of the day such as the importance of alternative remedies to the issues of the stress of work and the more complex world reality. The female nature of the spiders themselves and the subjugation of the male slaves on Metabilis tells an interesting story of the growth of feminism in the UK ( especially given the chauvinistic tendencies of Pertwee's Doctor)

All in all the story builds to a conclusion which may have possibly included the death of the Doctor. Instead it concluded with an ending that presented significant opportunities for the actor who was to take over the role.

This adventure kept my attention throughout. I must concur with those who see that the chase was overly long but that surely was a feature of most of the Pertwee stories.

Hindsight often enables us to see things differently from those who underwent the experience almost thirty years ago. As a viewer since the first episode appeared on the BBC I can only review this show the way I saw it.

Those who think thi one's drawn out or padded should re-view the tape again! This is one of the better story lines with an above-normal inter-woven plot and enough action to make each episode very interesting! And yes... the fact that the Doctor regenerates into TOM BAKER at the end makes the tape well worth owning! For those of you who didn't care for this one... What's your preference? Sesame Street? Jelly Baby, anyone?

Well, I only watched this because of my kids. That is, they forced me to watch it. And I love it! Yes! The whole thing is both cool and absurd.

"But.... but you'll increase your brain power to infinity!" is my favorite line... But there are other... wonderful moments, such as the Zen meditation section with the spiders suddenly appearing, and the tinny voices of the spiders. In fact, I have to inform you all that this story was the inspiration for the Frank Zappa song "spider of destiny", but that's another matter...

The best characters here (apart from the evil spiders) is the strange Zen Buddhist monk (who is actually a Time Lord, and the slightly retarded but very likeable character who ends up smarter and stronger than the other villians all put together...

Talking of which, there is this odd chemistry between Mike Yeats (in the doghouse due to misbehaviour in a previous story) and Sarah. It all works brilliantly. Another favorite line...

"I just ... seem to have this... this power...."

All praise to the great one!

More beer please.

I'm glad to know that Dave Spencer really enjoys "Planet of the Spiders", but it certainly does not deserve the "five stars" he gives it. This episode should have been the celebration to end the Pertwee era. Unfortunately, it isn't. It's way over padded, the "James Bond" style chase episode is a little long winded, and the production of the whole story seems tired and lazy. There are some redeeming features about "Spiders": the Spiders themselves are pretty good, Pertwee gives a great performance(as does Lis Sladen), and the ending really makes up for the whole story. Not the classic it should have been, "Planet of the Spiders" is just....OK.

In my own opinion, for the time it was made, this swan song for a Doctor is better then 2010's The End of Time. The overall story is great and keeps you wondering until the regeneration scene. If compared to other regenerations, this one is the simplest and possibly one of the more heart-breaking ones. Jon Pertwee's tenure as the Third Doctor has often been hailed as the Golden Age of Doctor Who and this story is a good example why. I strongly recommend it, even if you aren't a Jon Pertwee fan. It's great for the Tom Baker fans out there, but I also say get it for the historical purpose it serves. The spiders may seem flimsy, but once you see what the Great One does to the Doctor, you won't be thinking that anymore. This story is also good for the petrolhead Who fans because Pertwee's Doctor is well-known for liking fast automobiles, and in this case, hovercrafts. Basically what I'm saying is BUY IT now !!!!!

Planet of the Spiders(POS)Is fantastic. Even though the spiders are laughable the story is brilliant and will have you glued to the screen throughout. People who think this story won't be any good-Think again. This is a jewel of the Pertwee era. There are some brilliant momments which make Pertwee's Regeneration a joy to watch. A lot of people didn't like Jon Pertwee's regneration I disagree. Even though it is a little quick it is a great experience to watch. If you suffer from arachnaphobia don't worry about being scared by the "spiders" Which were possibly the only fault this story has(I'm not too keen on the silly voices either!)You won't be as you'll be laughing at them and be enyoying every momment this video is on(Guaranteed!) STRONGLY RECCOMENDED!

This is a bittersweet story as we say goodbye to our dearly beloved Jon Pertwee. The episodes are full of all the things you have come to expect from this era of our dearest Doctor including a somewhat ridiculous chase scene. Even though the spiders in the episode are a little silly at times it still works because I think everybody hates the idea of large spiders that talk and ride on your back telling you what to do.

There is a very touching scene between the Doctor and Sarah Jane.

The special features are a wonderful sampling of featurettes and DVD-rom delicousness. If you have any othe other DVD's then you will know what to expect. If not then you can look forward to interviews commentary and TV features from the period the show first aired (1974).

Fantastic!